Booking gigs may be the primary objective of some performing artists who attend the FARM Gathering, and many presenters and folk DJs do scout out new artists and those whom they have not previously heard and seen in perform live. However, the conference experience is much more than that; it’s really about forging connections, building community, and attending workshops and panel discussions to learn about options to further their careers, promote the music, and attract audiences and listeners

This year’s conference also includes a Presenter Summit for the first time. It will feature a full track of programming designed specifically for venues, festivals and other concert presenters to learn from experts in accounting, audience development, community engagement, marketing, and production.

Taking center stage during this year’s FARM Gathering will be 14 artists/acts selected by a panel of judges to each perform a short set of just shy of 20 minutes, with full sound Showcasing their talents on Friday night will be Mac and Cheese, Dennis Warner, Weary Ramblers, Andy Baker, Stone & Snow, Amy Speace, and Paula Boggs Band. Saturday’s official showcase lineup features Warren & Flick, The Twangtown Paramours, Sam Robbins, Maggie’s Wake, Dave Moore, Bruce Henry & Dean Magraw, and Abigail Stauffer and the Wisdom. Unplugged private showcases follow from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. each evening.

On the docket for Thursday night is a barn dance, followed by a folk DJ showcase featuring performances by Friction Farm, Gia Dagenhart, Chris Walz, Matt Watroba, The Springtails, Helene Cronin, Senior Infants, Bobbie Lancaster, Rees Shad, Mark Jewett, The Thorntons, and Dandelion Delivery Service. Following that showcase, attendees also will shuffle between a number of rooms to enjoy private showcases.

“In addition to the great performances and showcases we have lined up, I am very excited to welcome some special guests to this year’s conference who will speak to the issues affecting our country and our local music communities right now, including our keynote speaker Nicky Mehta.” said Ellen Stanley, the conference director. “Although best known for being a member of the Canadian folk band The Wailin’ Jennys, she is also an activist and will talk about how artists can stay true to their artistic vision and the causes they believe in.” She also mentioned Spencer LaJoye, a winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition, who will give a spotlight talk ahead of the keynote about telling their truth as a queer artist

Daytime programming includes a wide array of workshops and panel discussions and peer group conversations addressing timely topics. “”We’re going to talk about the issues that we’re all worried about, and we hope to provide a welcoming space for everyone to share their stories and learn from others as we do our best to navigate these challenging times, Stanley told AcousticMusicScene.com.

Song swapping and jamming, speed mentoring sessions, open mics, and FARM’s popular Performance Lane series of 10-minute mini-showcases that take place simultaneously in several rooms are also part of the daytime mix. Special events on Friday include a 30-minute Chicago Celtic Spotlight featuring Reverie Road and a folk DJ meet & greet. Marilyn Rea Beyer, who hosts the nationally syndicated weekly radio program “The Midnight Special” from the studios of Chicago’s WFMT, will host a Wisdom Across the Ages panel discussion featuring artists and activists from different generations: Amy Speace, Paula Boggs, Katie Dahl, and Sam Robbins. Also on the docket for Saturday afternoon is a Celtic jam, as well as the spotlight and keynote talks. FARM’s 2025 Lantern Bearer Awards will be presented following dinner that evening to two individuals who have made significant contributions to the folk community locally and/or regionally. This year’s recipients are Charlie Mosbrook (a musician, former FARM board president, and current vice president of Folk Alliance International) and Lilli Kuzma, a veteran folk DJ at WDCB Public Radio in Glen Ellyn, Illinois).

AcousticMusicScene.com Hosts Two Nights of Private Showcases

Although AcousticMusicScene.com has hosted primarily song swap-style private showcases at Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA), and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (SWRFA) conferences, and its editor & publisher has also participated in Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) conference, this year marks the first time that two nights of private showcases will be held under its banner at a FARM Gathering. The AcousticMusicScene.com Showcase lineup follows.

Thursday Overnight in Muddy Waters (Conference 3) Room

10:30  Ben Bedford & Vanessa Lively, Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus

11:00  Erin Eades, Rob Lytle

11:30  The Shandies, another artist TBA ?

12:00  Julie Grower, Lucy Isabel

12:30  Tony DiCorpo, Doug Harsch

1:00    Josh Harty, Josh Rose

1:30    Patty & Craig, The Raven & The Remedy

2:00    Beth Bombara

Friday Overnight in Childress/Saxton (Oak/Green) Room

10:30  Two from Texas: Lynn Crossett, Tipps & Obermiller

11:00  A Trio of Duos: Ruth & Max Bloomquist, Dan & Faith, Tom & Barb Webber

12:00  Mixed Bag: Sue Horowitz, Miles & Mafale, Mike Ward

1:00    Chris Farrell, Jim Gary

1:30    Gina Forsyth, Karen Mal & David Stoddard

2:00    Rick Vines, Joshua Vorvick

FARM is one of five North American regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International (folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. Although folks from throughout North America attend its annual Gathering, FARM (farmfolk.org) serves Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Manitoba, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Nunavut, Ohio, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The 2026 FARM Gathering is set for October 22-25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. FAR-West and SWRFA held their annual conferences earlier this fall, while NERFA’s is slated for Nov. 6-9 in Albany, New York.

Editor’s Note: In addition to curating and hosting two nights of private showcases, I look forward to sharing information and insights gleaned from my many years as public relations and strategic communications professional, as well as a concert and former festival presenter with conference attendees. I will join Elexa Dawson and Joy Zimmerman as part of a Promoting Your Event panel discussion and will offer a series of one-on-one speed mentoring sessions. A past president of NERFA and former board member of Folk Alliance International, I am excited to be attending my first in-person FARM Gathering.

Tim Grimm is an acclaimed storytelling balladeer who splits his time between homes in the woods of southern Indiana and a cottage in Oklahoma when not on tour. Released in April, Bones of Trees is his 13th album. Its 11 tracks include “Broken Truth” (which was the most-played song on folk radio in 2024) and “Woody’s Landlord Revisited” (an updated version of “Woody’s Landlord,” his politically charged ballad about President’s Trump’s father that topped the FAI folk songs chart in 2016). Over the years, Grimm has had a number of top albums and songs on the Folk DJ (now FAI Folk) and EuroAmericana charts. Besides those mentioned, Gone and A Stranger In This Town were the most-played albums on folk radio during 2021 and 2017 respectively, while “Gone,” “Gonna Be Great,” and “King of the Folksingers” (a tribute to his friend and musical icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott) were the most-played songs of 2020, 2017 and 2014. In addition to his more than 25-year career as a singer-songwriter, Grimm has taught songwriting classes, worked as an actor in film and television, and has hosted an Americana concert series in Columbus, Indiana.

Here’s a link to listen to Tim Grimm’s “Woody’s Landlord Revisited”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cijeaYTVMPM

“Ain’t That the Way,” appears on Porcelain Angel, the latest album by Rees Shad. The western Massachusetts-based and New York City born-and-raised Americana singer-songwriter has released 17 solo albums and an additional 13 albums involving collaborations and side projects to date. He began playing Greenwich Village folk clubs and hanging around recording studios as a sideman on sessions with Brill Building songwriters as a teenager. While still in college, he launched Sweetfish Recording Studios –- a residential full-production studio in a renovated 19th century barn in upstate New York that played a part in hundreds of independent and major label releases over the next 14 years. Sweetish later expanded into interactive marketing, publishing, and record distribution before closing in 2000 when Rees enrolled in graduate school. He earned two Master’s degrees, which led to a 20-year career in higher education. However, he continued writing and recording songs. Rees Shad keynotes the annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference that takes place in Owensboro, Kentucky, May 15-18.

Here’s a link to the official video for Rees Shad’s “Ain’t That Way”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rHh5NBvr78

The April 2025 top albums, songs and artists charts are based on 10, 535 airplays reported on 350 playlists submitted by 99 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

Top Albums of April 2025

1. Bones of Trees by Tim Grimm (114)
2. Arcadia by Alison Krauss and Union Station (64)
3. Porcelain Angel by Rees Shad (61)
4. All I Got and Gone by Chris Walz (58)
5. Burnished by Amelia Hogan (55)
6. Some Kind of Truth by Kora Feder (47)
7. Maybe New Mexico by Helene Cronin (46)
8. Suzy Sings Siebel Vol. 1 by Suzy Thompson (45)
9. The Lucy Story: Unreleased & Rare Tracks 1976-2023 by Lucy Kaplansky (44)
10. So Much I Still Don’t See by Sam Robbins (41)
11. It Matters by C. Daniel Boling (38)
12. Foxes in the Snow by Jason Isbell (36)
13. A Tip Toe High Wire by Sierra Hull (34)
14. Oh What a Beautiful World by Willie Nelson (31)
15. Backstage Balladeer by Jefferson Ross (29)
16. The Monkey in the Crown by HuDost (26)
17. Remains to Be Scene by The Seldom Scene (25)
17. Wait for the Night by Eric Schmitt (25)
19. I Made It This Far by Deborah Holland (23)
20. Double Takes by Gordie Tentrees and Jaxon Haldane (22)
20. What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow by Rhiannon Giddens &
Justin Robinson (22)
22. Field of Stars by John McCutcheon (20)
22. Here We Go! by Antonio Andrade (20)
22. Wild and Clear and Blue by I’m With Her (20)
22. Volume 4 by Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert (20)
22. Together on a Rock by The Pairs (20)
22. Daggomit! by Max Wareham (20)
28. Paris by Louise Coombe (19)
28. Alice Howe and Freebo Live by Alice Howe and Freebo (19)
28. Dear Meadowlark by The Wildwoods (19)
31. Unravel by Henhouse Prowlers (18)
31. Songs That Made Charlene Cry by The Dillards (18)
31. Reclamation by Crys Matthews (18)
31. Ghosts by Mike Berman (18)
31. Our Way by Loveseat (18)
36. Face the Day by Will Branch (17)
37. I’m From Here by Rob Siegel (16)
37. Julia Belle: The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 2 by
Various Artists (16)
37. Ghostwriter by Annie Stokes (16)
40. Rushmere by Mumford and Sons (15)
41. Froggy’s Demise by Ezra (14)
41. The Wind Will Change Again by The Twangtown Paramours (14)
43. Racing Down the Valley by Sam Bergquist (13)
43. Looking for the Thread by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis,
Karine Polwart (13)
43. Carry Me Back to the Bluegrass by Big Country Bluegrass (13)
46. Exploding Star by Heather Maloney (12)
46. Lonesome Drifter by Charley Crockett (12)
46. Changing Union by Chris Moore (12)
46. Te Whare Tiwekaweka by Marlon Williams (12)
50. Beneath Your Skin by Kim Beggs (11)
50. Mill Pond by Rich Scher (11)
50. The Price of Admission by Turnpike Troubadours (11)
50. Dark Country by Gary Louris (11)
50. Cold Feet by Mark Freeman (11)

Top Songs of April 2025

1. “Ain’t That the Way” by Rees Shad (21)
2. “Woody’s Landlord Revisited” by Tim Grimm (19)
2. “Superlover” by Allison Russell and Annie Lennox (19)
4. “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back” by Alison Brown and Steve Martin (18)
4. “Barbed Wire Boys” by Tim Grimm (18)
6. “Rolling in the Gold” by Amelia Hogan (17)
7. “Broken Truth” by Tim Grimm (16)
8. “In the USA” by Tim Grimm (15)
9. “I Will Not Obey” by Erin Inglish (14)
10. “Mists of Ennistymon” by Tim Grimm (13)
10. “Richmond on the James” by Alison Krauss and Union Station (13)
12. “Ancient Light” by I’m With Her (11)
12. “We Will Take Care of Each Other” by Heather Pierson (11)
12. “Up in the Attic” by Tim Grimm (11)
12. “Rambling Man” by Kora Feder (11)
16. “Great Big World” by Rees Shad (10)
16. “It Matters” by C. Daniel Boling (10)
16. “Here’s the Rain” by Cosy Sheridan (10)
16. “North Side Gal” by Alison Krauss and Union Station (10)
16. “Oh What a Beautiful World” by Willie Nelson (10)
21. “Crimson and Clay” by Jason Isbell (9)
21. “What Could Possibly Go Wrong” by C. Daniel Boling (9)
21. “Blue Ridge Mountain Blues” by Chris Walz (9)
21. “There Were People Here” by Mike Berman (9)
21. “Louise” by Suzy Thompson (9)
21. “What a Little Love Can Do” by Sam Robbins (9)
21. “Lose My Blues” by Suzy Thompson (9)

Top Artists of April 2025

1. Tim Grimm (125)
2. Alison Krauss and Union Station (73)
3. Rees Shad (66)
4. Chris Walz (58)
5. Amelia Hogan (57)
6. Lucy Kaplansky (48)
7. Kora Feder (47)
8. Helene Cronin (46)
9. Suzy Thompson (45)
10. Willie Nelson (43)
11. John McCutcheon (42)
11. C. Daniel Boling (42)
11. Sam Robbins (42)
14. Jason Isbell (40)
15. Sierra Hull (38)
16. Michael Hurley (36)
17. John Prine (35)
18. The Neffa Noodlers (34)
19. Guy Clark (32)
19. The Seldom Scene (32)
21. Pete Seeger (30)
21. Jefferson Ross (30)
23. Eliza Gilkyson (27)
24. HuDost (26)
24. Bob Dylan (26)
26. Eric Schmitt (25)
26. Deborah Holland (25)
26. Joni Mitchell (25)
29. Gordie Tentrees and Jaxon Haldane (23)
30. Alison Brown and Steve Martin (22)
30. Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson (22)
30. Crys Matthews (22)
30. Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert (22)
34. Henhouse Prowlers (21)
34. The Pairs (21)
36. Max Wareham (20)
36. I’m With Her (20)
36. Antonio Andrade (20)
36. Janis Ian (20)
36. The Dillards (20)